LOURDES, an international pilgrimage center, mobilizes nearly 100,000 volunteers to welcome 3 million pilgrims and visitors from all over the world each year, including more than 50,000 sick and disabled people. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the pilgrimage is going virtual.

The Shrine has been closed for more than two months, and for the first time in its 162-year history, it has had to cancel all pilgrimages. In spite of its partial reopening, the Shrine can only welcome a limited number of pilgrims in order to follow strict sanitary protocols.

So on July 16, the anniversary of the 18th and last apparition of the Virgin Mary, the Shrine of Lourdes will host an e-pilgrimage which will take place live at the Grotto of the Apparitions. Millions of people from all continents are expected to participate through television, radio and social networks.

The program will run for 15 hours and will be available in 10 languages. To join, participants have to visit this link: www.lourdes-france.org.

The day will feature celebrations, processions, rosaries, prayers. A TV program will take place live from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Grotto. Religious and civil personalities will follow one another on the set, testifying on the role of Lourdes in their lives. The cameras will go behind the scenes of this unique place to better explain its mission. There will also be discussions on the themes of solidarity, fraternity, commitment, hope and the search for meaning, as well as reports, archival video, live music, among others.

Lourdes will also be asking for donations during the e-pilgrimage. Without the pilgrims, Lourdes does not have enough resources to carry out its mission, to maintain the site and its 320 employees. In addition, the whole of the Lourdes catchment area is in immense difficulty. The Sanctuary is expecting a historic loss of 8 million euros.

For more details, visit www.lourdes-france.org.

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